Rotary brush tool

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotary brush tool equipped with a brush assembly (1, 2, 3) and a drive (1, 4) comprising a drive housing (1) and an output shaft (4) for the brush assembly (1, 2, 3). The brush assembly (1, 2, 3) has a rotatably driven brush holder (1) and a ring brush (2, 3) with a bristle ring having outwardly projecting bristles (3). According to the invention, the drive housing (1) of the drive (1, 4) functions as a rotatably driven brush holder (1) relative to the fixed output shaft (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a rotary brush tool, comprising a brush unit and a drive with drive housing and output shaft for the brush unit, wherein the brush unit has a rotationally drivable brush holder and a ring brush with a bristle ring with outwardly projecting bristles.

[0002] Such rotary brush tools are typically used to clean metal surfaces of rust or dirt. Indeed, the bristles can be used to adjust a specific surface roughness. Various approaches to this exist in the prior art, attributable to the applicant, as described in detail in EP 1 834 733 B1 and WO 2012 / 038537 A1.

[0003] The present application is based on the prior art according to EP 4 238 451 A1, which constitutes the generic type. The rotary brush tool provided here is equipped with a machine housing and a drive unit or drive for the brush assembly accommodated therein. The drive can generally be a pneumatic drive or an electric motor drive.

[0004] If an electric motor drive with a drive housing and output shaft is used, the rotational movement of the output shaft is redirected to the brush holder, which is driven in rotation, via a more or less complex deflection gear. This results in an overall bulky structure. The invention aims to remedy this problem.

[0005] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a rotary brush tool in such a way that, taking into account a compact design, an embodiment with overall reduced costs is observed.

[0006] To solve this technical problem, the invention proposes, starting from a generic rotary brush tool, that the drive housing of the drive acts as a rotationally driven brush holder relative to the fixed output shaft.

[0007] According to the invention, a special rotary-driven brush holder is initially used. This function is performed by the drive housing of the drive. The invention is based on the finding that the drive used for such rotary brush tools is typically an electric motor drive equipped with a drive housing and an output shaft. Within the scope of the invention, the output shaft is not used to drive the rotary-driven brush holder; instead, the drive housing itself functions as the rotary-driven brush holder.

[0008] All that is required is that the output shaft of the electric motor drive is fixed. This can be done, for example, in a holder. By fixing the output shaft of the electric motor drive, the invention causes the drive housing to rotate. This means that the drive housing rotates relative to the fixed output shaft or the holder that fixes the output shaft.

[0009] As already explained, the drive is usually designed as an electric motor. Such electric motors usually have a cylindrical drive housing, which, according to the invention, takes on the function of the rotationally driven brush holder. In this context, the ring brush is actually equipped with a brush belt with attached, outward-projecting bristles. The brush belt can be a woven belt made of plastic, particularly polyamide. The bristles are usually U-shaped steel bristles that are inserted into or through the brush belt. The bristles thus form the bristle ring. The bristle ring can be equipped with or without interruptions.

[0010] The brush belt of the ring brush is therefore cylindrical or ring-shaped, with the inner diameter of the brush belt typically corresponding to the outer diameter of the drive housing. This allows the brush belt to be plugged onto the drive housing. If the inner diameter of the brush belt exceeds that of the drive housing at this point, a ring adapter can also be used if necessary. In this case, the brush belt is plugged onto the drive housing with the aforementioned ring adapter inserted between them.

[0011] The thickness of the ring adapter can be adapted to both the brush belt and the drive housing of the electric motor. There is also the additional option of making the ring adapter from a heat-conducting material, such as a heat-conducting plastic. Furthermore, it has proven effective in this context for the ring adapter to be equipped with axial webs running in the axial direction of the drive housing. This means that in this case, the axial webs hold the annular brush belt or serve as additional security by axially overlapping the brush belt. This creates a free space between the axial webs and the brush belt through which any heat can be dissipated.

[0012] In addition, the axial webs allow a certain (and desired) deformation of the brush belt during surface processing. Such deformations are also observed when a stop means that extends into the rotating bristle ring is provided, as is essentially described in the prior art according to EP 1 834 733 B1, already described above. In this context, the holder is advantageously provided, to which the output shaft is connected at least on one side. Furthermore, the holder in question is advantageously additionally equipped with the stop means that extends into the rotating bristle ring.

[0013] It has also proven particularly advantageous if the holder has a pivoting handle or if the handle is connected to the holder in question. In this context, it is also possible to arrange for the handle to support the drive together with the ring brush.

[0014] A design in which the drive and the ring brush are arranged coaxially with the rotational axis of the handle has proven particularly advantageous. This means that in this case, a holder with two holding arms is usually used. One holding arm defines the rotational axis for the handle, the drive, and the ring brush, which are mounted coaxially with the respective rotational axis. The other holding arm assumes the function of securing the output shaft of the electric motor. However, the aforementioned functionalities can also be implemented differently.

[0015] In this context, the holder can be placed on the surface to be worked on, resting on its base, against this surface. For this purpose, the holder may be equipped with support feet made of plastic, for example, while the holder itself is generally made of metal.

[0016] In principle, the holder for holding the brush unit and for securing the output shaft can also be connected to a manipulation element that is movable relative to the surface to be treated. This manipulation element can be any conceivable device that enables mechanical movement relative to the surface to be treated. A potential manipulation element in this case is a robot or a robot arm. The manipulation element can equally well be designed as a rotating unit, for example, for internal pipe processing. Combinations are of course also conceivable. In addition, the manipulation element can be designed as a linear adjustment unit, as an adjustment unit that can be moved in a plane, similar to a plotter, etc.

[0017] All this is achieved because the rotary brush tool according to the invention is simple, robust, and cost-effective. This is because an additional deflection gear for deflecting the rotational movement of the output shaft to the rotationally driven brush holder is not required. This results in a particularly compact design. At the same time, the weight can be kept low, so that the rotary brush tool according to the invention can be moved easily and without problems using the manipulation element or purely manually by an operator. These are the key advantages.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings: Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 individual steps in the assembly of the rotary brush tool according to the invention, Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B the rotary brush tool together with a holder in different machining positions, Fig. 4 a front view of the object according to the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B and Fig. 5 another version.

[0019] The figures depict a rotary brush tool. It comprises a brush unit 1, 2, 3 and a drive 1, 4 with a drive housing 1 and output shaft 4 for the brush unit 1, 2, 3. The brush unit 1, 2, 3, in turn, comprises a rotationally driven brush holder 1 and a ring brush 2, 3 with a bristle ring and outwardly projecting bristles 3. In fact, the ring brush 2, 3 consists of an annular brush belt 2 with the outwardly projecting bristles 3 connected to it.

[0020] The brush belt 2 can advantageously be made of a polyamide fabric. The U-shaped bristles 3 are inserted into the brush belt 2. The bristles 3 thus form the bristle ring, which can be either continuous or equipped with individual recesses around its circumference.

[0021] According to the invention, the cylindrical drive housing of the drive 1, 4 now takes over the function of the rotationally driven brush holder 1, specifically relative to the fixed output shaft 4. For this purpose, the output shaft 4 is generally fixed in a holder 6 of different design, which will be described in more detail below, at least on one side.

[0022] The drive 1, 4 is designed as an electric motor 1, 4 with the cylindrical drive housing 1. As already explained, the ring brush 2, 3 consists of the ring-shaped brush band 2 with the attached and outwardly projecting bristles 3. Based on a comparative analysis of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shows that the ring-shaped brush band 2 is attached to the drive housing 1 as a rotary driven brush holder 1. This is evident when comparing the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 understandable.

[0023] If at this point the inner diameter of the annular brush band 2 exceeds the outer diameter of the cylindrical drive housing 1 of the electric motor 1, 4, which acts as a brush holder 1, an intermediate ring adapter 5 can be provided, as is the case with Fig. 1 makes clear. You can see from the Fig. 1, the ring adapter 5 according to the exemplary embodiment is equipped with a base ring 5 and axial ribs or axial webs 5b connected to the base ring 5. The axial ribs 5b extend in the axial direction of the drive housing 1. The annular brush band 2 can be placed onto the axial ribs 5b, so that a corresponding free space remains between the base ring 5a and the annular brush band 2 between the respective axial ribs 5b.

[0024] This clearance allows, on the one hand, elastic movement of the annular brush belt 2 during surface processing and, on the other hand, serves to dissipate any heat during processing of the surface in question. This includes a possible embodiment, not shown.

[0025] Because within the framework of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the axial ribs or axial webs 5b are designed in such a way that they overlap the brush band 2 when installed or when plugged onto the ring adapter 5. For this purpose, the bristle ring is equipped with respective recesses in which the respective axial webs 5b are located in the assembled state, as can be seen from a comparison of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. According to the exemplary embodiment, the axial webs 5b are formed on a circular disc 5c that is connected to the base ring 5a at one end, or they extend from this circular disc and stand perpendicular to it. Thus, the ring brush 2, 3 is additionally secured to the drive housing 1 during its rotational movement by means of the ring adapter 5.

[0026] In principle, the ring adapter 5 is of course unnecessary if the annular brush belt 2 can be directly attached to the drive housing 1. The ring adapter 5 is made of plastic, in particular a heat-conducting plastic. Other materials are also conceivable, of course. Furthermore, the ring adapter 5 can also be made of solid material, i.e., the additional axial webs or axial ribs 5b can be omitted.

[0027] As already described in the introduction, a holder 6 is typically provided, to which the output shaft 4 of the drive or electric motor 1, 4 is connected at least on one side. According to the exemplary embodiment, the holder 6 in question is additionally equipped with a stop means 7 immersed in the rotating bristle ring. The stop means 7 can be seen in particular in the front view according to the Fig. 4 and in conjunction with the other design variant according to the Fig. 5.

[0028] The holder 6 can additionally be equipped with a handle 8 which can be pivoted relative to the holder. The pivotability of the handle 8 can best be determined by comparing the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B. In fact, the handle 8 in question can be pivoted relative to an axis or rotation axis A. Furthermore, since the drive 1, 4 and the ring brush 2, 3 are arranged coaxially to the axis or rotation axis A of the handle 8 relative to the holder 6, the ring brush 2, 3 follows the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B reproduced pivoting movement of the handle 8. In fact, the handle 8 together with the ring brush 2, 3 and the drive 1, 4 carrying it is rotated around the common axis of rotation A during the transition from the Fig. 3A to Fig. 3B rotated clockwise.

[0029] It can be seen that for this purpose, the holder 6 is equipped with two holding arms 6a and 6b, which accommodate the ring brush 2, 3 and consequently also the associated drive 1, 4 and the handle 8. For this purpose, the two holding arms 6a, 6b in the exemplary embodiment are each designed triangularly and are connected to each other by connecting rods. Furthermore, the holding arms 6a, 6b are each equipped with feet 9 on their underside, with the aid of which the holder 6 can be placed on a surface O to be treated, as can be seen from the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B can be understood.

[0030] Based on the design variant according to the Fig.5 it becomes clear that the holder 6 can be connected to a manipulation element 10 that is movable relative to the surface O. This manipulation element 10 is one that is inserted into the interior of, for example, a pipeline and rotates there, so that in this way the holder 6, which is also moved with the help of the manipulation element 10, can abrasively process the interior of the pipeline in question as surface O with the help of the rotary brush tools attached to it. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 1 834 733 B1 [0002, 0012] WO 2012 / 038537 A1

[0002] EP 4 238 451 A1

[0003]

Claims

[1] Rotary brush tool, with a brush unit (1, 2, 3) and a drive (1, 4) with drive housing (1) and output shaft (4) for the brush unit (1, 2, 3), wherein the brush unit (1, 2, 3) has a rotationally driven brush holder (1) and a ring brush (2, 3) with a bristle ring with outwardly projecting bristles (3), characterized by , that the drive housing (1) of the drive (1, 4) functions as a rotationally driven brush holder (1) relative to the fixed output shaft (4). [2] Rotary brush tool according to claim 1, characterized by that the drive (1, 4) is designed as an electric motor (1, 4) with a cylindrical drive housing (1). [3] Rotary brush tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the ring brush (2, 3) has a brush band (2) with bristles (3) connected to it and projecting outwards. [4] Rotary brush tool according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the brush belt (2) is plugged onto the drive housing (1), if necessary with the interposition of a ring adapter (5). [5] Rotary brush tool according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that a holder (6) is provided to which the output shaft (4) is connected at least on one side and which is preferably additionally equipped with a stop means (7) immersed in the rotating bristle ring. [6] Rotary brush tool according to claim 5, characterized by that a handle (8) which can be pivoted relative to the holder (6) is connected to it. [7] Rotary brush tool according to claim 6, characterized by that the handle (8) carries the drive (1, 4) together with the ring brush (2, 3). [8] Rotary brush tool according to claim 7, characterized bythat the drive (1, 4) and the ring brush (2, 3) are arranged coaxially to the axis of rotation (A) of the handle (8). [9] Rotary brush tool according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized by that the holder (6) rests on the base side on a surface to be machined. [10] Rotary brush tool according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized by that the holder (6) is connected to a manipulation element (10) movable relative to the surface (A), for example a robot arm, a rotating unit for inner pipe machining, etc.

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